Camden Roosevelt

Just to be clear: whereas the maintenance people (Luis and Nino) are just amazing, front office staff in general is fairly helpful and kind, and the state of the building is rather good — this review is strictly related to the unpleasant and rather unfair treatment we have received upon leaving, after two years of lease.
BE CAREFUL !
The LEASING OFFICE will attempt to charge you upon your leave (and most probably manage to do so), for bringing the apartment back to a new look. Be particularly careful about the wooden floor if you will get one. It is low quality, extremely easy to scratch (and I want to highlight EXTREMELY). Once you will leave the apartment they will entirely remake the floor at your expenses, without even informing you before replacing it. Let alone give you the possibility to request a ‘moving out inspection’ attended by an independent expert (as you do in civilized countries after a lease, if there is a damage of this size — I am a lawyer). I am not sure about the law over here, but according to EU standards this treatment was extremely UNFAIR, other than UNPLEASANT. However, for obvious reasons related to legal costs you will let this one go… and pay them the outrageous amount of money they ask. On moral grounds, I just can not recommend this building. Good luck!

Having lived in the Camden for almost ten years (August 2006-​October 2016), there is perhaps no better ambassador for the building than me! I lived in three different units over the course of my tenure there — two one-​bedroom units with roommates (7^th floor), and one one-​bedroom unit on my own (8^th floor).
Here’s what I loved:
— This building is luxurious while still having character and charm. It has a wonderful history (famous jazz performances, inaugural balls, etc) but was updated in 2005 I believe, so it has so much wonderful «DC character» that you won’t find in newer, more sterile buildings — think crown molding, a grand and awe-​inspiring lobby with grand piano, large units with unique layouts, etc.
— Because of its age, it’s VERY sturdy construction — you never hear your neighbors. I ended up moving out into a brand new condo that I bought, where I could hear literally everything my upstairs neighbors did. A rude awakening after 10 years in the camden!
— There is a strong sense of community here: people are friendly, you’ll recognize and know your neighbors, the front desk staff knows you by name (and knows who doesn’t live in the building).
— They are very responsive to all types of maintenance requests: The same maintenance staff worked there the entire time I lived there — they know the building inside and out, are extremely trustworthy, and respond to requests on the same day.
— It’s very well-​maintained and clean — no pest problems or other nuisances that you can’t figure out until you live somewhere.
–Based on my experience, the rent here is very fair for what you get. You won’t find the same combination of luxury, space, and amenities for this price point very easily… hence every time I wanted to upgrade to a different space, I’d shop around the neighborhood but always ended up getting a new unit in the Camden… until I bought :)
— This building is RENT CONTROLLED. That’s huge. I have friends who had to move out of their buildings after a year because their monthly payments increased by $ 500 or more. Whiel I lived here, they typically raised my rent by a small percentage each year, but at least I didn’t worry about getting completely priced out.
Insider Tips
–the 7^th and 8^th floor have higher ceilings than the others — so they feel a bit more spacious and luxurious.
–SOME of the units have hardwoord floors and granite kitchens, but many do not — though, they still feel very nice.
Here are the few drawbacks:
— Like any building managed by a major property management company, read the fine print on your lease and be fully versed in how and when you can give notice — and don’t assume you’ll be able to transfer your lease to someone, despite how awesome the building is. When I was there, it was 60 days notice PLUS an entire month’s rent to terminate your lease early. I attempted to find someone to transfer my lease to but sadly couldn’t find anyone, despite three months of trying, aggressive online listings, etc… so ended up paying three months worth of rent PLUS my new mortgage at the same time. Ouch!
— There’s pretty high turnover in the leasing office. I tend to think this is fairly common, and probably doesn’t impact people who live there for shorter periods of time, but after being there 10 years I found I often knew more about processes (for adding new roommates to the lease, for example) than the leasing staff did.
— As is probably common in the area, the «extra» amenities have diminished over the years as neighborhood prices have increased — when i first lived here they offered free bagels Monday through Friday, monthly resident events, etc. They still do those things from time to time, but not as frequently as before. then again, the neighborhood is MUCH different than it was back then, so probably less need to entice people to live there!

We just signed a lease and haven’t even moved in yet, but our tour of the building and the studio unit was spectacular. The building is so clean and the ornamentation and woodwork of the common areas provide a nice historical charm. There was even live piano playing while we waited in the lobby. The front desk and the leasing staff were extremely helpful and courteous. We especially appreciated Kyle, who gave us the tour and walked us through the leasing process. Out of 10 different buildings we toured that weekend, Camden Roosevelt was by far our top choice and one of the most reasonably priced.

Camden Roosevelt has exceeded my expectations in all respects. The leasing and move-​in process were very easy. The leasing office was great with all the logistical issues involved in moving. The apartments are modern and maintained perfectly. Common areas are immaculate and the lobby is gorgeous. The area of town is also incredibly convenient and a lot of fun. Whenever there is an issue management and maintenance fix the issue quickly. I plan to stay here for a while.

I am a current resident and can’t begin to say how happy I am with my decision to move in. The staff is friendly and accommodating. The apartments are large, light filled, and such a deal compared to some of the newer «efficiency» buildings going up in the U street area. My boyfriend and I looked at several buildings in the Shaw/​U street area and the Camden was hands-​down the best choice.
Move in was a breeze thanks to the loading dock and freight elevator, and the staff was very helpful in setting up furniture deliveries and utility setup.
Can’t imagine moving out anytime soon.

I lived here for a year and a half, only moving to move in with my girlfriend in a different neighborhood. It’s a gem of a building. The rooms are much larger than the more modern building, yet its renovations leave it looking better than any of those gauche places. The lobby is huge, the amenities are very well maintained and the staff is excellent and responsive. Rents are reasonable given the location near the park and U Street, plus you get more square footage and better sound proofing than a comparable new building. Highly recommended.

The best apartment I have lived at in DC! Excellent and cleanest apartment you will find, and truly a great luxury space.

I recently got diagnosed with MS and have also had brain surgery. The staff here, despite doctors instructions, could not even have the decency when asked to put a hand railing in my bathroom. Also there are mice in the building and full size rats in the garbage room in the building.
On moral grounds, I just can not recommend this building. Also unlike other buildings they expect 60 days notice. I found that unreasonable especially now. I was given star treatment when I was looking for a place to stay, but none of that once I moved in.

Camden Roosevelt continues to be a great place to call home. The current management team does an awesome job, and have gone to great lengths to strengthen the feeling of community in the building. The maintenance team do a great job, and requests are typically resolved within 24hrs.

It doesn’t get any better than the Camden Roosevelt. i have lived in several DC apartments, and the Camden surpasses all of these with its beautiful décor, prime location, and kind, accommodating staff. You will not get the value you get at Camden (or the price) anywhere else.
Camden is surrounded by the best restaurants and bars in DC. Amenities are close by including a pharmacy, fitness center, pool. Transportation is easy with the S bus line right outside the apartment which can bring you to Dupont, McPherson Square, Chinatown, and Federal Triangle. The metro is also close by, no more than a 10 minute walk away.
The service at the Roosevelt is impeccable. The staff holds monthly themed parties for its residents which I look forward to every month! Maintenance staff is on call ²⁴⁄₇. John and Greg at the leasing office have an open door policy and are always willing to offer assistance.
Highly recommended!

Great until you try and move out.
I lived at the Camden for 18 months and then moved out to live on 14^th ST with my boyfriend. My experience up until then was largely positive and enjoyable until I moved and then it was a nightmare. I was told by the front desk I only needed to give 30 days notice to vacate. Not so, it was 60 so I was charged an additional 2 weeks rent due to the oversight given by management. I owned up to that being partially my fault for not triple checking the lease so I paid the fee and moved on. I then was charged additional days rent in the final move out date 4 weeks later even after everything had been shored up. They claimed my vacate was later than stated even though I had electronic copies my move out date was 3 days earlier than what they charged me. They also charged a $ 175 cleaning fee that was not specified on my departure.
All in all, I was charged about $ 1500 to move out of the Camden Roosevelt. Do your homework, be smart about moving out and don’t trust these people. It’s a shame because I loved living there for the time being but the way they handled the move out was completely unprofessional and I would not recommend living there at all. There are a lot better options on 14^th than the Camden.

great service, rent control keeps it below market price

UPDATE — my friend had to move because of bedbugs.

I just moved out of the Camden, because I had to relocate to NYC. I was so sad to go! I had a wonderful year and a half there. If you want to live in a place that is just plain easy and convinient, this is the place for you. Their 24 concierges are so friendly and helpful and help with so many things — maintenance requests, dry cleaning drop off, mailing ups packages, answering questions, etc. The leasing office does a great job and always gets back to you promptly. They are also very friendly. The building fees and procedures are very minimal and fair. And to top it off, it’s an absolutely gorgeous building! Every day when you come home you walk into pure luxury, like living in a hotel. Piano music and marble lobby and great amenities. The gym is awesome and you will not need a membership anywhere because it’s really big and has everything you need. And even a great party/​function room to rent out free of charge. The apartments are beautiful.
I will truly miss living at the Camden. It’s a great apartment, a great building, and a fantastic neighborhood.

I moved into Camden Roosevelt at the end of August, after never seeing the apartment or even DC.
I cannot tell you enough how blessed I am to have (randomly) chosen this place! I’m a math major so its easiest for me to give bullet points.
— I thought it might be too pricey, but after looking at surrounding apts this definitely is the nicest and has ridiculous amenities! (The people I meet tell me they pay the same for their small apartment but don’t have a gym/​steam room/​sauna — ²⁴⁄₇ desk assistance — amazing staff, etc.
— The neighborhood is incredible. I was more than nervous, petrified really, about moving to DC alone — I bought extra locks for my doors and had confirmed with the leasing agent that I could install my own alarm system! (Ok, I’m a worrier…) It means a lot to know that I have never, ever, felt uncomfortable inside the building or in the surrounding neighborhood.
— Great location. Far enough to be quiet and pretty, close enough to walk (easily) downtown. I walk to work everyday (downtown). Nice grocery stores close by (several to chose from), friendly people — mostly dog walkers.
When I was checking reviews online I was very skeptical of the good ones because I always felt they were posted by leasing agents or something! On the other hand, if there was one ‘horror story’ post I would not even consider the place. Please ask away if you have questions about the building, staff, area, etc. (I remember how scary it was deciding on an apartment so no worries!)
Best wishes on your apartment hunt!

I moved into The Roosevelt after selling my condo. It is outstanding. like living in an old world, stately NY coop w/​a doorman. The best part is the stuff you dont see. The walls are VERY thick and almost sound proof, the maintenance men are very honest and polite. I never worried about valuables. The water pressure is strong AND the hot water seems endless out of a boiler in the basement? The halls are well ventilated so you dont smell other peoples cooking
You may find nicer finishes like granite in other apts but i am getting kinda tired of that stuff and i dont cook. Also the clientele appear very diverse, upwardly mobile and well dressed

After reading some of the filtered comments and checking out the «Camden Deception» website, I felt the need to show my support for the Camden Roosevelt. (And I actually live here.)
You are not going to get a better apartment complex in the U Street area for the price. Beautiful lobby with piano, water each afternoon, free coffee and tea in the morning, a huge gym with sauna, steam room, rock climbing wall, free weights, and numerous exercise machines (definitely the best in-​house gym I’ve ever seen). The amenities fee is well worth it, especially considering how much people in this city spend on a gym every month. And I LOVE the wine cellar! Perfect for my collection; they keep it at a nice cold 45 – 50 degrees.
The meeting room space is available for FREE to anyone who wants to rent it out for a party (there is a security deposit, but you get it back as long as there are no damages). Have you ever tried to rent out a bar/​meeting room in DC for a party? It’s an insanely expensive fee, plus a food and beverage minimum. This is a great deal for Camden residents. There’s a board room-​style meeting room with a long table and sixteen chairs, plus two living-​room areas with a flat-​screen television, bar (I had to laugh when a Unilocal commentator complained that there was nothing to eat and drink in the bar … hello?! It’s not your house!), and pool table. The parties have never been a disturbance since they’re on the first floor and a huge lobby, plus a set of stairs separate it from the apartments on that floor.
My apartment on the 8^th floor is incredibly spacious with high ceilings, crown molding, lots of windows, two bedrooms, two bathrooms, and a very spacious kitchen with new appliances. It’s a great deal for the high-​priced area that is U Street.
And the park! Meridian Hill Park, right next door, is BEAUTIFUL. There’s tons of joggers, soccer players, picnickers, and all kinds of great people enjoying the park and the pretty fountains during the day. Yes, they say don’t walk around the park at night, it’s not safe. That’s just good sense for lots of areas in DC. Hello, you live in the CITY! Don’t walk around in unsafe places at night.
And you just can’t beat the location. The Camden Roosevelt is close to U Street, Adams Morgan, Dupont Circle, and Columbia Heights. Everything is a short 5 to 15 minute walk away.
I’m bothered by some of the claims on the «Camden Deception» website. At least for me, they were very clear and upfront about the fees, and they all make sense. You know up front about the cable fee, paying for water, and paying for electricity. And if you’re not sure, ASK! No one is forcing you to sign a lease. I’d sure as hell notice if I was forced to pay $ 500+ up front without knowing what it was. I wouldn’t sign the lease and then claim I «didn’t know.»
Since moving here in February, only once has one of the two elevators been broken (come on folks, sometimes an elevator breaks down once in a while). I was here on March 26, 2010, and I don’t remember seeing both elevators down that day. And hell, what’s wrong with walking up a few flights of stairs once a year? Maybe you need the exercise!
Also, never had a problem with heating and AC. If I ever had any maintenance problems, one quick call is made in the morning, and by the afternoon, it’s fixed. Oh, and that fee you pay if you turn in your rent late? Jeez, folks, pay your rent on time! I travel constantly and am always sure to turn in my rent early if I know I’m going to be out of town. «Forgetting» to pay rent is no excuse. You pay the price when you turn in your rent late. Complaining about having to pay a fee for turning in your rent late when you should’ve turned it in on time is no one’s fault but your own.
Sorry for the incredibly long post, but I felt the need to address some of these «complaints» on the Deception website and other comments. I’ve lived in several apartment buildings in the DC/​VA/​MD area over five years, and nothing’s better than the Camden Roosevelt. It doesn’t claim to be absolutely perfect, and to complain about such minor problems is ridiculous.

I am so happy here. I think it’s best qualities are it’s people and services. Audra and Jaime in the office are just the best. The 24 hour concierge is such a plus and everyone who works at the front desk is delightful. Service requests are promptly responded to. The on site parking garage is a plus for out of town visitors.
Not to mention that the Camden is beautiful and well located. The main hall has a player piano and ice water waiting for you when you return home. Located on 16 and V, I am steps from everything U street has to offer. Easily accesible from the U Street or Dupont Metro. Harris Teaters is the local gocery and it probably has the best produce selection in the city.
My apartment is affordable and spacious. The walls are completely sound proof. The flats are all recently rennovated with modern kitchen appliances.

I just moved in to Camden yesterday. Maybe it is soon to comment but I really loved it so far! The building is designed like a five star hotel. The lobby, gym saloon, steam room are all great. Everywhere is extremely clean. Even the thrash room smells cleanser. I have seen lots of apartments nearby which are nearly the same price with Camden but really terrible. You have your own washer/​dryer, refrigerator, microwave oven, dishwasher in your flat. There are plenty of closets in the flat which makes your home look tidy. The bathroom and the kitchen are brand new and clean.
The management is also lovely. All personnel is super friendly and kind. I feel very lucky that I found this terrific place on my second day in DC.

I’ve read negative reviews in the past about bad experiences moving out of this apartment complex — but I’m currently living here and I am impressed!
I’ve lived in the building for two years and have only positive things to say about it. It’s got all the major amenities (in-​apartment washer/​dryers, gym, parking garage, etc.), but it’s the small things that keep me happy.
1^st — in my two years I’ve only run across ONE insect! …and even that was just a small flying something that came in through an open window.
2^nd — the staff is super friendly. They know me by name, and make an effort to help whenever they can. There’s always someone around to help at the front desk, and work/​repair requests are answered within 24 hours. They also often go above and beyond what’s asked of them (i.e. I had them change the overhead light in our kitchen once, and they replaced a broken bulb in one of our personal lamps as well.)
3^rd — The building itself is beautiful. My favorite part is the ‘party room’ that’s available to rent for free. It’s got a mini kitchen and bar, a pool table and plenty of tables/​couches. Great place to host company.
4^th — Location. It’s located exactly where Dupont, Adams Morgan, U Street and Columbia Heights all come together. I walk to dupont every morning for work, to adams morgan to go grocery shopping, to u street to hang out and to columbia heights for the target :) I like to run as well & it’s about ½ a mile jog from the rock creek park bike paths.
The only possible negative is the price — but that’s variable. It’s a rent controlled building, so if you’re lucky enough to come in on a low rate (which I was!), it will stay relatively low for the duration of your stay…